Use of different pneumatic cylinder spring types in a variable displacement engine for engine and aftertreatment system temperature control

ABSTRACT

A system and method for a variable displacement internal combustion engine using different types of pneumatic cylinder springs on skipped working cycles to control engine and aftertreatment system temperatures are described. The system and method may be used to rapidly heat up the aftertreatment system(s) and/or an engine block of the engine following a cold start by using one or more different types of pneumatic cylinder springs during skipped firing opportunities. By rapidly heating the aftertreatment system(s) and/or engine block, noxious emissions such as hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, NO x  and/or particulates, following cold starts are significantly reduced.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No.63/029,042, filed May 22, 2020, which is incorporated by referenceherein for all purposes.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a variable displacement internalcombustion engine using different types of pneumatic cylinder springs onskipped working cycles to control engine and aftertreatment systemtemperatures.

BACKGROUND

Most vehicles in operation today are powered by internal combustion (IC)engines. Internal combustion engines typically have multiple cylindersor other working chambers where combustion occurs. The power generatedby the engine depends on the amount of fuel and air that is delivered toeach working chamber.

Current aftertreatment systems typically require a period of time (e.g.,20 to 30 seconds) to reach “light off temperature” following a coldstart. For modern aftertreatment systems, such as a three-way catalyticconverter, the light off temperature is usually around 200° C.˜300° C.During this period, while the aftertreatment system is still cold, thevehicle emits significantly higher pollution levels compared to vehicleemissions after the catalyst reaches warm operating temperatures equalto or above that of the light off temperature.

Vehicles generate significant amounts of pollution emissions upon coldstarts for several reasons. First, with a cold engine, fuel vaporizationis relatively poor. As a result, a significant portion of the fuelinjected during the firing of working cycles is not combusted. Thenon-combusted fuel is instead exhausted into the aftertreatmentsystem(s), resulting in increased hydrocarbon emissions. Second, theaftertreatment system(s) of the vehicle are also typically cold, meaningthey are operating well below their peak efficiency operatingtemperature(s) (e.g., “light-off” temperature). Since the aftertreatmentsystem is not operating efficiently, significant amounts of pollutants,including carbon monoxide, NO_(x) and/or particulates are emitted fromthe tailpipe of the vehicle.

With skip fire controlled engines, using a lower firing fraction after acold start is a known approach to help speed up the warming process ofaftertreatment system(s), such as catalytic converters. For example,with a four cylinder engine, it is typically advantageous to fire justtwo cylinders at a higher load per cylinder during a cold start asopposed to firing all four cylinders, each at a lower load. The exhaustgases of firing just two cylinders will be hotter than firing all fourcylinders due to various effects such as different heat transfer ratesor burn rates. As a result, exhaust temperatures for a given engine tendto increase as the load output per cylinder increases. With a hotterexhaust, the aftertreatment systems warm up faster.

While firing fewer cylinders during a cold start of a skip firecontrolled engine has its advantages, further improvements are alwaysbeneficial. A system and method to rapidly heat up the aftertreatmentsystem(s) and/or engine of a vehicle to reduce pollutants following acold start is therefore needed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to use of different pneumatic cylinderspring types in a skip fire controlled engine to control engine andaftertreatment system temperatures. Particularly after a cold enginestart, more rapid warm up of aftertreatment systems(s) and/or an engineblock is realized by using one or more different types of pneumaticcylinder springs during skipped firing opportunities.

In various non-exclusive embodiments, the present invention is directedto a system and method of operating an internal combustion engine of avehicle. The invention involves ascertaining a cold start of theinternal combustion engine, operating one or more cylinders of theinternal combustion engine as a Low Pressure Exhaust Spring (LPES) untilan aftertreatment system fluidly coupled to the internal combustionengine has reached a “light-off” temperature, operating the one or morecylinders of the internal combustion engine as a High Pressure ExhaustSpring (HPES) after the aftertreatment system has reached the“light-off” temperature and then operating the internal combustionengine in a skip fire manner after the temperature of the internalcombustion engine has reached a predetermined threshold. When operatingin the skip fire manner after the he temperature of the internalcombustion engine has reached the predetermined threshold, skippedcylinders can be selectively operated as LPES, HPES or Air Spring (AS)type pneumatic springs.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention and the advantages thereof, may best be understood byreference to the following description taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1A is a logic diagram of a representative internal combustionengine, various control modules, and aftertreatment system(s) inaccordance with a non-exclusive embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 1B is a table showing various types of aftertreatment system(s)that can be used with different types of engines.

FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B illustrate a cylinder and operation of the cylinderduring an exemplary working cycle of a four-stroke engine.

FIG. 3A is a bar graph illustrating various exhaust gas temperaturesresulting from cylinders of an engine acting as one of several differenttypes of pneumatic cylinder springs in accordance with a non-exclusiveembodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3B is a bar graph illustrating various coolant temperaturesresulting from cylinders of an engine acting as one of several differenttypes of pneumatic cylinder springs in accordance with a non-exclusiveembodiment of the invention.

FIG. 4A is flow diagram illustrating steps for rapidly heating anaftertreatment system of a skip fire controlled engine in accordancewith a non-exclusive embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 4B is another flow diagram illustrating steps for rapidly heatingboth an aftertreatment system and an engine block of a skip firecontrolled engine in accordance with another non-exclusive embodiment ofthe invention.

In the drawings, like reference numerals are sometimes used to designatelike structural elements. It should also be appreciated that thedepictions in the figures are diagrammatic and not to scale.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The vast majority of internal combustion engines are either sparkignition or compression ignition.

Spark Ignition and Compression Engines

Spark ignition engines rely on spark to initiate combustion. Sparkignition engines are generally operated with a stoichiometric fuel/airratio and the mass air charge (MAC) provided to a cylinder controls itstorque output. The mass air charge is generally controlled using athrottle to adjust the intake manifold absolute pressure (MAP).

With compression ignition engines, combustion is initiated by atemperature increase associated with compressing a cylinder chambercharge. Compression ignition engines typically control the engine outputby controlling the amount of fuel injected (hence changing the air/fuelstoichiometry), not air flow through the engine. Engine output torque isreduced by adding less fuel to the air entering the working chamber,i.e. running the engine leaner. For example, a Diesel engine maytypically operate with air/fuel ratios of 20 to 160 compared to astoichiometric air/fuel ratio of approximately 14.5. Compressionignition engines may be further classified as stratified chargecompression ignition engines (e.g., most conventional Diesel engines,and abbreviated as SCCI), premixed charge compression ignition (PCCI),reactivity controlled compression ignition (RCCI), gasoline compressionignition engines (GCI or GCIE), and homogeneous charge compressionignition (HCCI).

Aftertreatment Systems

Both spark ignition and compression ignition engines generally requireone or more aftertreatment elements to limit emission of undesirablepollutants that are combustion byproducts. Catalytic converters andparticulate filters are two common aftertreatment elements. Sparkignition engines generally use a three-way catalyst that both oxidizesunburned hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide and reduces nitrous oxides(NO_(x)). Three-way catalysts require that on average the enginecombustions be at or near a stoichiometric air/fuel ratio, so that bothoxidation and reduction reactions can occur in the catalytic converter.Since compression ignition engines generally run lean, they cannot relysolely on a conventional 3-way catalyst to meet emissions regulations.Instead they use other types of aftertreatment devices to reduce noxiousemissions. These aftertreatment devices may use a catalyst such as aDiesel Oxidizing Catalyst (DOC), selective catalyst reduction (SCR),NO_(x) traps and/or particulate filters to reduce nitrous oxides tomolecular nitrogen and capture particulate emissions.

Variable Displacement Engines

The engine must be operated over a wide range of operating speeds andtorque output loads to accommodate the needs of everyday driving. Undernormal driving conditions, the torque generated by an engine needs tovary over a wide range in order to meet the operational demands of thedriver. In situations when full torque is not needed, the fuelefficiency of many types of internal combustion engines can besubstantially improved by dynamically varying the displacement of theengine. With dynamic displacement, the engine can operate with fulldisplacement when required, but otherwise operates at a smallerdisplacement when full torque is not required, resulting in improvedfuel efficiency and/or reduced noxious emissions.

The most common method of varying engine displacement is deactivating agroup of one or more cylinders. For example, with a six cylinder engine,a group of two, three, or four cylinders may be deactivated. When acylinder is deactivated, no fuel is delivered to the deactivatedcylinders and their associated intake and/or exhaust valves aretypically kept closed.

Another engine control approach that varies the effective displacementof an engine is referred to as skip fire engine control. Skip fireengine control contemplates selectively firing cylinders during somefiring opportunities, while selectively skipping the firing of cylindersduring other firing opportunities. This is equivalent to selectivelyfiring some working cycles while skipping (i.e. not firing) otherworking cycles. Thus, a particular cylinder may be fired, skipped andeither fired or skipped over the course of three successive firingopportunities.

In contrast with a conventional variable displacement engine, thesequence of specific cylinders' firings will always be the same formultiple engine cycles, so long as the engine remains in the samedisplacement mode. With a conventional variable displacementeight-cylinder engine operating at half displacement for example, thesame four cylinders are continually fired, while the remaining fourcylinders are continually skipped over multiple engine cycles. With askip fire controlled engine operating at a firing fraction of ⅓ forinstance, every third firing opportunity is fired, while the interveningtwo firing opportunities are skipped. As a result over multiple enginecycles, at least one cylinder is fired in a first firing opportunity,skipped during the next firing opportunity, and either skipped or firedduring the next firing opportunity.

In general, skip fire engine control facilitates finer control of theeffective engine displacement than is possible with the conventionalvariable displacement approach. For example, firing every third cylinderin a 4-cylinder engine would provide an effective displacement of ⅓^(rd)of the full engine displacement, which is a fractional displacement thatis not obtainable by simply deactivating a set of cylinders.Conceptually, virtually any effective displacement can be obtained usingskip fire control, although in practice most implementations restrictoperation to a set of available firing fractions, sequences or patterns.

The Applicant has filed a number of patents describing variousapproaches to skip fire control. By way of example, U.S. Pat. Nos.7,849,835; 7,886,715; 7,954,474; 8,099,224; 8,131,445; 8,131,447;8,464,690; 8,616,181; 8,651,091; 8,839,766; 8,869,773; 9,020,735:9,086,020; 9,120,478; 9,175,613; 9,200,575; 9,200,587; 9,291,106;9,399,964; 9,689,327; 9,512,794; and 10,247,072 each describe a varietyof engine controllers that make it practical to operate a wide varietyof internal combustion engines in a skip fire operational mode. Each ofthese patents is incorporated herein by reference.

Many of these patents relate to dynamic skip fire control in whichfiring decisions regarding whether to skip or fire a particular cylinderduring a particular working cycle are made in essentially real time.That is, the fire/skip decision for a given cylinder is made just priorto the start of the next working cycle for that cylinder (i.e., on anindividual cylinder firing opportunity-by-firing opportunity basis).

Pneumatic Springs

The Applicant has previously filed U.S. application Ser. No. 14/548,138(TULA P030) on Aug. 8, 2017 (Now U.S. Pat. No. 9,726,094), which isdirected to a system for managing catalytic converter temperatures, U.S.application Ser. No. 14/743,581 (TULA P38A) on Jul. 12, 2016 (Now U.S.Pat. No. 9,387,849), which is directed to implementing skip fire enginecontrol upon engine start, and U.S. application Ser. No. 15/982,406(TULA P064) filed Apr. 14, 2020 (now U.S. Pat. No. 10,619,584), which isdirected to changing the timing of cylinder intake and exhaust events toform different types of pneumatic cylinder springs, such as Low PressureExhaust Springs (LPES), High Pressure Exhaust Springs (HPES) and/or AirSpring (AS), for skipped cylinders during skip fire engine operation.Each of the above-listed applications is incorporated by referenceherein for all purposes.

The present invention is directed to use of different pneumatic cylinderspring types in a skip fire controlled engine to control engine andaftertreatment system temperatures. Particularly after a cold enginestart, more rapid warm up of aftertreatment systems(s) and/or an engineblock is realized by using one or more different types of pneumaticcylinder springs during skipped firing opportunities.

In another non-exclusive embodiment, the present invention is directedto a method of operating an internal combustion engine of a vehicle. Themethod involves ascertaining a cold start of the internal combustionengine, operating one or more cylinders of the internal combustionengine as a Low Pressure Exhaust Spring (LPES) until an aftertreatmentsystem fluidly coupled to the internal combustion engine has reached a“light-off” temperature, operating the one or more cylinders of theinternal combustion engine as a High Pressure Exhaust Spring (HPES)after the aftertreatment system has reached the “light-off” temperatureand then operating the internal combustion engine in a skip fire mannerafter the temperature of the internal combustion engine has reached apredetermined threshold.

In yet another non-exclusive embodiment, the present invention isdirected to a controller for controlling operation of an internalcombustion engine. The controller is arranged to ascertain a cold startof an internal combustion engine, operate the internal combustion engineafter the cold start such that some firing opportunities of theplurality of cylinders are fired while other firing opportunities of theplurality of cylinders are skipped. For the firing opportunities thatare skipped, the controller initially operates one or more of theplurality of cylinders as a first pneumatic cylinder spring type until acatalytic converter fluidly coupled to receive exhaust gases from theinternal combustion engine reaches a “light-off” temperature. After thecatalytic converter has reached the light-off temperature, thecontroller operates one or more of the plurality of cylinders duringskipped working cycles as a second pneumatic cylinder spring type untilthe internal combustion engine reaches a warm operating temperature.After the engine reaches its warm operating temperature, the controlleroperates the internal combustion engine in a skip fire manner. Invariations of this embodiment, the first pneumatic cylinder spring typeis an LPES and the second pneumatic cylinder spring type is a HPES.

In yet another non-exclusive embodiment, the present invention isdirected to a method of operating a variable displacement internalcombustion engine. The engine has a plurality of working chambers thatoperate with a working cycle. The method involves ascertaining atemperature of an aftertreatment system fluidly connected to the exhaustof the internal combustion engine. Some the engine's working cycles areskipped so that the engine is operating at less than its fulldisplacement. A pneumatic cylinder spring type for skipped workingcycles is determined based at least in part on a temperature of theaftertreatment system.

In yet another non-exclusive embodiment, the present invention isdirected to a method of operating a variable displacement internalcombustion engine. The engine has a plurality of working chambers thatoperate with a working cycle. The method involves ascertaining atemperature of the engine block of the internal combustion engine. Somethe engine's working cycles are skipped so that the engine is operatingat less than its full displacement. A pneumatic cylinder spring type forskipped working cycles is determined based at least in part on thetemperature of the engine block.

Engine Controller

Referring to FIG. 1A, a schematic block diagram 10 is shown of arepresentative internal combustion engine 12. In addition, the blockdiagram 10 includes a skip fire engine controller 14, an enginediagnostic module 16, a powertrain adjustment module 18, and one or moreaftertreatment system(s) 20, all of which work in cooperation with theengine 12. The aftertreatment systems(s) 20 are fluidly connected to theinternal combustion engine exhaust.

The internal combustion engine 12 includes one or more cylinders 12A. Inthe particular embodiment illustrated, the engine 12 includes sixcylinders 12A. It should be understood, however, that in alternativeembodiments the number of cylinders 12A may widely vary. For instance,the engine 12 may include 2, 3, 4, 6, 8 10, 12 or 16 cylinders. Itshould be understood that the number of cylinders 12A listed herein aremerely exemplary and the engine 12 may have any number of cylinders 12A,including more or less than explicitly listed herein.

In yet other embodiments, the internal combustion engine 12 may be ableto combust any of a number of different types of fuels, such asgasoline, ethanol, Diesel, compressed natural gas, propane, methane,hydrogen, methanol, or any combination thereof.

In yet other embodiments, the internal combustion engine 12 may rely onspark-ignition or compression-ignition. As previously noted, inspark-ignition versions of the engine 12, a spark, typically from aspark plug, is generated to initiate combustion of the air-fuel chargein the cylinders 12A. In contrast, with compression ignition versions ofthe engine 12, ignition of the air-fuel charge is triggered by acombination of heat and pressure within the cylinders 12A. A compressionignition internal engine may have a glow plug installed in one or moreof the engine's cylinders. In some embodiments, each cylinder in theengine may have a glow plug. The glow plug may be heated by runningelectrical current through a wire that heats the wire sufficiently thatit emits visible light, hence the name glow plug. The glow plug may beused during a cold start to help initiate combustion in a compressionignition engine.

The internal combustion engine may also be a “boosted” engine. Althoughnot illustrated, the internal combustion engine 12 may operate incooperation with a turbocharger, supercharger, a combination of the two,i.e. a twincharger, and/or multiple turbochargers and/or superchargers.As is well known in the art, a turbocharger is powered by a turbinedriven by exhaust gases from the engine 12, whereas a supercharger isusually mechanically driven by a belt connected to the crankshaft (notillustrated) of the engine 12. Regardless of which type of boostedsystem may be used, more air, and therefore proportionally more fuel,may be inducted into the individual cylinders 12A of the engine 12. As aresult, a boosted version of the engine 12 is capable of generating moretorque output compared to a naturally aspirated version of the engine12.

The internal combusted engine 12 may also operate in cooperation with anExhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) system, also not illustrated. EGR, aknown emissions reduction technique, operates by recirculating a portionof the exhaust gas back into the cylinders 12A of the engine 12. Withthe recirculated gas, the amount of oxygen inducted into the chambers12A is reduced. The recirculated exhaust gas, which has less oxygen thanfresh air, acts to absorb combustion heat and reduce peak temperatureswithin the cylinders 12A during combustion. As a result, less NO_(x) isproduced.

The skip fire engine controller 14 is arranged to determine a skip firefiring fraction for the internal combustion engine 12. The firingfraction is indicative of the percentage of firings that are required todeliver the torque output demanded of the engine 12 and also possiblythe temperature of one or more aftertreatment system(s) 20. For example,following a cold start, the skip fire engine controller 14 may operatethe engine 12 at a relatively low firing fraction so that (a) each firedcylinder 12A generates more torque compared to the engine 12 operatingat a higher firing fraction and (b) using the higher exhausttemperatures of the cylinders 12A fired at the higher torque levels torapidly heat up the aftertreatment system(s) 20. In another alternativeembodiment, the skip fire engine controller 14 may be a Dynamic SkipFire (DSF) engine controller. With DSF control, the decision to eitherfire or skip the cylinders 12A of the engine 12 is made on a firingopportunity-by-firing opportunity basis.

It should be appreciated that a firing fraction may be conveyed orrepresented in a wide variety of ways. For example, the firing fractionmay take the form of a firing pattern, a firing density or any otherfiring sequence that involves or inherently conveys the aforementionedpercentage of firings. For more details on how the skip fire enginecontroller 14 operates and selects a desired firing fraction, see theabove listed commonly assigned U.S. patents and/or U.S. applications,again all of which are incorporated by reference.

The engine diagnostic module 16 is an onboard diagnostic tool thatenables the monitoring and control of a wide variety of parametersassociated with the internal combustion engine 12 and/or theaftertreatment systems 20. One such monitoring aspect performed by theengine diagnostic module 16 is the estimation of the temperature ofcertain types of aftertreatment system(s) 20, such as catalyticconverters. As a general rule, most vehicles do not have temperaturesensors located in the various aftertreatment systems 20 that may beused, such as a three-way catalytic converter, Diesel Oxidizing Catalyst(DOC), Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR), etc. Accordingly, the enginediagnostic module 16 is tasked with estimating the operating temperatureof such aftertreatment system(s) 20.

In a non-exclusive embodiment, the engine diagnostic module 16 isconfigured to estimate the temperature of various types ofaftertreatment system(s) 20 from models derived from empirical data. Forinstance, a test vehicle, the same or similar to a vehicle using theengine 12, is placed on a dynamometer and multiple test runs areperformed. With each test run, data is collected over time for (a)measured exhaust temperatures and (b) corresponding aftertreatmentsystem temperatures. With this empirical data, a “temperature model” canbe created that accurately predicts the temperature of theaftertreatment systems based on the amount of accumulated energy (e.g.,volume of exhausted gas and its temperature) flowing through theaftertreatment system(s) over time. With any of the above-listed typesof catalysts, for example, a catalytic temperature model can be createdthat accurately predicts the operational temperature of the catalyst,including approximately when “light-off” temperature is achieved basedon such factors as the temperature of the exhaust gas provided to thecatalyst, the accumulated volume of the exhaust gas over time,exothermic chemical reactions in the catalyst, and the startingtemperature of the catalyst.

Another task performed by the engine diagnostic module 16 isascertaining the temperature of the engine block and/or oil of theengine 12. This may be accomplished in a number of ways. For instance,the temperature of coolant used to cool the engine may be measured.Based on the measured coolant temperature, the temperature of the engineblock and/or oil may be readily extrapolated. In other embodiments, thetemperature of the engine block and/or oil can be directly measured byone or more sensors located in or near the engine block and/or oil pan.

The powertrain adjustment module 18, which operates in cooperation withthe firing fraction controller 14, is provided to optimize certainpowertrain parameters to ensure that the actual engine output equals therequested engine torque output at the commanded firing fraction. By wayof example, the powertrain adjustment module 18 may be responsible fordetermining the desired spark timing for spark-ignition type engines.For compression ignition engines, the powertrain adjustment module maybe responsible for determining a desired glow plug temperature. For bothspark-ignition and compression-ignition engines other parameters thatmay be adjusted by the power adjustment module 18 include, but are notlimited to, fuel injection timing, fuel injection pattern, injected fuelmass, cam phase, EGR fraction, throttle position, and intake manifoldabsolute pressure. Fuel injection pattern refers to the number of fuelinjection pulses and the injected fuel mass associated with each pulse.For boosted engines, the boost level and compressor speed may also becontrolled. By adjusting these engine parameters, the engine 12 may beoptimized to operate as efficiently as possible to deliver an actualtorque output that equals the demanded torque output.

FIG. 1B is a table 30 showing various types of aftertreatment system(s)that can be used with different versions of the engine 12. Inparticular, the table 30 shows that the various types of aftertreatmentsystems that may be used for a Diesel engine 12 may include a DieselOxidizing Catalyst (DOC), a Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR)converter, a Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF), and a NO_(x) trap. Forgasoline versions of the engine 12, the various types of aftertreatmentsystems that may be used include three-way catalytic converters,Gasoline Particulate Filters (GPF), etc. It should be understood thatthe particular aftertreatment systems listed in the table 30 are merelyexemplary and should not be construed as limiting in any regard. In realworld embodiments, a given Diesel or gasoline engine 12 may have one ormore of the listed aftertreatment system 20 as well as otheraftertreatment systems not listed.

In some embodiments, a two-way catalyst that removes hydrocarbons andcarbon monoxide from the exhaust stream, may be used in anaftertreatment system if no NO_(x) removal is required. Such a catalystis an oxidizing catalyst, since it is only configured to oxidizepollutants in the exhaust stream. Engines that run lean and use a formof low temperature combustion are an example of a type of internalcombustion engine that may only require a two-way catalyst. A homogenouscharge compression ignition (HCCI) engine is an example of an enginethat utilizes low temperature combustion. Other aftertreatment systemsmay utilize some reducing element in addition to the two-way catalyst toreduce NO_(x) emissions.

Oil Pumps and Heating Elements

In many skip fire controlled engines, a hydraulic system using engineoil is used to deactivate the intake and exhaust valves during skippedworking cycles. Operation of the hydraulic deactivation system dependson there being sufficient oil pressure available to operate thedeactivation mechanism. Also, the speed of deactivation mechanism isdependent on the oil viscosity, which in turn is dependent on oiltemperature. During a cold start, the oil is generally cold and theinitial oil pressure may be low. Therefore, the ability to deactivatecylinders on the initial working cycles of a cold start may be limited.

In an optional embodiment, an active oil heater and/or auxiliary oilpump 22 may be used in cooperation with the internal combustion engine12. By actively heating the engine oil, the engine oil can be rapidlyheated faster than just by naturally running the engine. By reducing theheating time following a cold start, the valve train will be ready toimplement valve deactivation sooner, which means skip fire enginecontrol can occur sooner and the strategies for heating theaftertreatment systems and the engine block as described below can allstart earlier than otherwise possible without active steps to heat theengine oil.

An auxiliary, electrically driven, oil pump can be used either inconjunction with an active oil heater and may be used without an activeoil heater. The auxiliary oil pump can raise oil pressure even beforeengine cranking begins during a cold start. As such, even the firstworking cycle of a cold starting engine may be deactivated. By usingeither or both the active oil heater and/or the auxiliary oil pump,pollutants such as hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, NO_(x) and/orparticulates, emitted during cold starts can all be further reduced.

Operating Temperatures for Aftertreatment Systems

In order for the aftertreatment systems 20 in an exhaust system tofunction at peak efficiency, a certain elevated temperature range isrequired. For example, the catalysts in a three-way catalytic converter,Diesel Oxidation Catalysts (DOC) and/or Selective Catalytic Reduction(SCR) converters each have a relatively narrow operating temperaturerange. A representative operating range may be between 200° and 400° C.,although other catalyst systems may have different ranges. The operatingtemperature range of aftertreatment elements for Diesel engines may besomewhat higher than that used for gasoline engines.

It is also common for vehicles to have more than one aftertreatmentsystem 20. For example, besides a catalyst of some kind, vehicles mayalso include a particulate filter, a NO_(x) trap, etc. Spark-ignitiongasoline combustion engines generally have aftertreatment system(s) 20that include both a three-way catalyst and possibly a GasolineParticulate Filter (GPS), whereas Diesel compression-ignition enginesmay include one or more of a DOC, SCR, Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF),NO_(x) trap, etc.

Generally, with vehicles having multiple aftertreatment systems 20, thesystem requiring higher operating temperature ranges are positionedcloser to the engine 12 than the other system(s). Such an arrangementallows the first aftertreatment system 20, for example, a three-waycatalytic converter, to experience the highest temperature exhauststream from the engine 12. As the exhaust stream passes throughsubsequent systems in the exhaust path, it generally cools, unlesssignificant energy is released in any of the downstream aftertreatmentdevices from exothermic chemical reactions (such as oxidization ofuncombusted hydrocarbons), from an external heat source, or from someother heat source.

Cylinder Working Cycle

Referring to FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B, operation of a cylinder 12A of theengine 12 during a fired, four-stroke working cycle is illustrated.

As depicted in FIG. 2A, the cylinder 12A includes a working chamber 40,reciprocating piston 42, an intake air manifold 44 for receiving air, anintake valve 46, an exhaust manifold 48 and an exhaust valve 50.

As depicted in FIG. 2B, the four strokes performed by the cylinder 12Aduring a working cycle are illustrated. The four strokes includeinduction, compression, combustion (sometimes referred to as expansion)and exhaust.

In the induction stroke, the piston 42 moves from Top Dead Center (TDC)to Bottom Dead Center (BDC) as the intake valve 46 is moved to an openposition. As a result, air is inducted into the working chamber 40through the intake air manifold 44. A fuel injector (not shown) also mayinject fuel into the chamber as well. Together, the air and fuel mixturecreate an air-fuel charge in the chamber 40.

In the compression stroke, the intake valve 46 is closed and the piston42 moves from BDC to TDC, compressing the air-fuel charge within thechamber 40.

With spark-ignition engines, a spark is used to ignite the air-fuelcharge. The timing of the spark is typically before the piston 42reaches the TDC position as the compression stroke completes. Withcompression-ignition engines, there is no spark. Instead, a combinationof high pressure and high temperature created within the chamber 40 asthe piston moves toward and approaches TDC during the compression strokeinitiates combustion. With either type of engine for fired workingcycles, combustion is initiated before the piston 42 reaches the TDCposition, completing the compression stroke.

In the combustion or more generally expansion stroke, combustion may becompleted. The energy released causes the piston to move from TDC toBDC, resulting in the generation of useful work (i.e., a torque output)by the cylinder 12A.

Finally, in the exhaust stroke, the exhaust valve 50 is opened and thepiston 42 moves from BDC to TDC, exhausting the combusted gases into theexhaust manifold 48, which is fluidly coupled to the aftertreatmentsystem(s) 20.

The working cycle is complete when the exhaust valve 50 is closed andthe piston 42 is positioned at the TDC. The above process is thenrepeated for the next working cycles of the cylinder 12A.

During a given engine cycle, the working cycles of the cylinders 12A aresequenced in order. The skip fire engine controller 14 determines whichcylinders 12A are to be fired or skipped, based on the current firingfraction, each engine cycle. Thus, during each engine cycle, in theirsequence order the individual cylinders 12A are either fired or skipped.As described below, the cylinders 12A of skipped working cycles mayoperate as one of several different types of pneumatic cylinder springs.

Valve Control for Pneumatic Cylinder Spring Type Implementation

With skip fire operation, the individual cylinders 12A may beselectively fired or skipped during any given working cycle. Typically,with skipped working cycles, the cylinder is deactivated, meaning nofuel is provided and the intake valve 46, the exhaust valve 50, or both,are deactivated to prevent air pumping. However, by manipulating thetiming of the opening and/or closing of the intake and exhaust valves46, 50, gases can be intentionally trapped within the working chamber40, resulting in one of several different types of pneumatic cylindersprings.

A LPES is realized opening the exhaust valve 50 during the exhauststroke in a prior fired working cycle and by deactivating the intakevalve 46 during the induction stroke of a skipped working cycle thatfollows the fired working cycle. As a result, no air is inducted intothe chamber 40 and low pressure exhaust gas is trapped in the chamber.During the subsequent compression stroke as the piston moves from BDC toTDC, the pressure inside the chamber 40 is relatively low because onlyresidual combusted gas from the previous fired working cycle remains inthe chamber 40. No fuel is injected into the chamber as well. As aresult, there is no combustion during the combustion stroke, regardlessif a spark occurs or not. Finally, in the exhaust stroke, the exhaustvalve 50 is deactivated. As a result, the residual combusted gas remainswithin the chamber and is not exhausted. The above process may berepeated for as long as operating the cylinder 12A as a LPES is desired.

With an HPES spring, the induction, compression and expansion strokesoccur as normal as described above with regard to FIGS. 2A and 2B duringa fired working cycle. In the exhaust stroke of the fired working cycle,however, the exhaust valve 50 is not opened. As a result, high pressurecombusted exhaust gas remains trapped within the chamber 40 and is notexhausted into the exhaust manifold 48. In the subsequent skippedworking cycle, the intake valve 46 is deactivated so that no new air isinducted. Instead, the trapped exhaust gas is expanded in the intakestroke and then compressed in the compression stroke. Since there is nofresh air in the cylinder, and no fuel is typically injected, there isno combustion in the compression or expansion strokes. Instead, thetrapped exhaust gas is again expanded in the expansion stroke andcompressed in the exhaust stroke by maintaining the exhaust valve 50closed. The cylinder 12A may operate as a HPES indefinitely; however,the in-cylinder pressure will slowly drop as the combusted gases cooland leak out of the chamber 40.

With Air Spring (AS) type pneumatic springs, the intake valve 46 opensduring the induction stroke of a first AS skipped working cycle so airis inducted into the chamber 40. In the compression stroke, the inductedair is compressed, but no fuel is injected or present, so there is nocombustion. The air is then expanded in the expansion stroke. In theexhaust stroke, the exhaust valve 50 is maintained closed so that theair is not exhausted. The intake valve 46 may remain closed duringsubsequent AS skipped working cycles, so that the compression andexpansion of mostly air may continue indefinitely until a decision ismade to terminate AS operation.

The three different types of pneumatic cylinder springs described aboveare all formed by leaving a valve closed on a stroke in which it wouldnormally open during a fired working cycle. That is, the pneumaticcylinder spring type is realized by not opening at least one of anintake valve or exhaust valve during a skipped working cycle. In a HPES,the exhaust valve remains closed during the exhaust stroke in a firedworking cycle prior to the skipped working cycle that has the HPES. Theintake valve remains closed during the induction stroke of the skippedworking cycle. In a LPES, the exhaust valve opens normally on a priorfired working cycle, but the intake valve remains closed during aninduction stroke on a skipped working cycle that follows the firedworking cycle or a prior LPES working cycle. The exhaust valve alsogenerally remains closed during the exhaust stroke of skipped workingcycles. In an AS, the intake valve opens during the induction stroke ofa first skipped working cycle; however, the exhaust valve remains closedduring the exhaust stroke. The intake valve may remain closed during anysubsequent skipped working cycle in a series of skipped AS workingcycles.

With the exception of a HPES, where the high pressure combusted gasesremain trapped in the working chamber, both LPES and AS skipped workingcycles may include opening the intake valve 46 during the inductionstroke or the exhaust valve 50 on the exhaust stroke of one skippedworking cycle during a series of skipped working cycles. Opening theintake valve 46 during the induction stroke in a series of AS workingcycles may be known as re-intake or re-breathing. Opening the exhaustvalve 50 during the exhaust stroke in a series of LPES working cyclesmay be known as re-exhaust.

The sequence of which valve remains closed during a stroke in which itwould open on a normal fired working cycle determines the type ofpneumatic cylinder spring. Since the valve closing sequence determinespneumatic cylinder spring type, not all combinations of pneumaticcylinder spring types are possible in a series of skipped workingcycles. For example, a HPES spring working cycle cannot follow a LPES orAS working cycle without an intervening fired working cycle, since aHPES working cycle requires trapped high pressure exhaust gas that wouldnot be present in a LPES or AS working cycle. AS and LPES working cyclesmay be intermixed and sequenced as desired.

Pneumatic Cylinder Spring Type Exhaust Temperatures

The Applicant has tested the exhaust gas and cylinder temperaturesresulting from operating cylinders of an exemplary, 4-cylinder, gasolineengine as one of several different types of pneumatic cylinder springs.The operating conditions for the test involved an engine speed of 1300RPMs (revolutions per minute), 1.5 bar of Brake Mean Effective Pressure(BMEP) and a firing fraction of ⅓^(rd). All three types of pneumaticcylinder springs were tested, including HPES, LPES and AS. As a baseline, the cylinder temperature was measured with all four cylinders ofthe engine being fired (referred to herein as “I4”). In addition, theair to fuel ratio was kept at stoichiometric, so the fuel energyconsumption rate for each test is also same.

Referring FIG. 3A, a bar graph 60 illustrating various exhaust gastemperatures at the inlet of the three-way catalytic converter resultingfrom cylinder operation in HPES, AS, LPES and in the I4 mode arerespectively shown. Based on graph 60, several conclusions can be drawn,including (a) LPES has the highest exhaust temperature (around 600° C.)and (b) HPES has the lowest exhaust temperature (around 475° C.). SinceLPES generates a higher exhaust temperature than the other operatingmodes, operating skipped cylinders 12A of the engine 12 as an LPES canbe beneficially used to warm up a three-way catalytic converter fasterfollowing a cold start. While an LPES allows the fastest warm up of thethree-way catalyst, in some embodiments it may be advantageous tooperate some skipped working cycles as an air spring to avoid prolongperiods of sub-atmospheric pressures within a skipped cylinder. Alsonoteworthy is the observation that operating cylinders as HPES offer noadvantage compare to the baseline of firing all four cylinders in modeI4 following a cold start.

Referring FIG. 3B, a bar graph 62 illustrating engine coolanttemperatures resulting from operating cylinders as HPES, AS, LPES and inthe I4 mode are respectively shown. Based on graph 62, the HPES operatedengine has a higher engine coolant temperature (around 90° C.) comparedto the other spring types and the all cylinder I4 mode. Therefore, HPESoperation can best be used to rapidly heat the engine block.

The test results in the graphs 60, 62 therefore suggest a two-prongstrategy for operating a skip fire controlled engine following a coldstart. In the first prong, the one or more cylinders of skipped workingcycles following a cold start can be operated as LPES type pneumaticcylinder spring. With the higher exhaust temperatures, aftertreatmentsystem(s) 20, such as a catalytic converter, will reach their light offtemperature(s) quicker. Once the light off temperature is achieved, thenthe second prong of the strategy involves operating one or morecylinders of skipped working cycles as HPES springs to more quickly heatup the engine block, oil and coolant of the engine. By implementing thistwo-prong approach, pollutants such as hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide,NO_(x) and/or particulates, following cold starts can be significantlyreduced. Engine efficiency may also be improved by heating the engineoil more quickly to reduce frictional losses.

It should be noted that the bar graphs of FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B are merelyexemplary and are intended to show test results for a specific engineand vehicle. It should be understood that the results may vary for othertypes of engines and/or vehicles. As such, the results and conclusionsdrawn from either of FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B should not be construed aslimiting.

More generally the pneumatic cylinder spring type may be chosen at leastin part based on an ascertained temperature of the aftertreatment systemor the engine block. Other variables, such as, but not limited to,in-cylinder pressure, fuel efficiency, engine speed, deactivationmechanism speed, cylinder load, and firing pattern may also beconsidered in the determination of the pneumatic cylinder spring type.The pneumatic cylinder spring type may be determined on a skippedworking cycle by skipped working cycle basis, but this is not arequirement.

Other Engine and Aftertreatment System Heating Methods

Use of different pneumatic cylinder spring types to more quickly heat anengine or aftertreatment system may be combined with other heatingmethods. As noted above, an auxiliary oil heater may be used to morequickly heat engine oil during a cold start. Aside from enabling skipfire operation sooner, the auxiliary oil heater also heats the engineblock, allowing it to more quickly reach operating temperatures. Glowplugs may be used to assist in heating a cylinder of a compressionignition engine. As previously described in U.S. Pat. No. 10,247,072,assigned to the Applicant, uncombusted fuel or hydrocarbons may beintroduced into the aftertreatment system where they can exothermicallyreact to heat the aftertreatment system. Hydrocarbons may be deliveredto the aftertreatment system by opening the intake and exhaust valves ofa cylinder during a skipped working cycle, while injecting fuel into thecylinder late in the power stroke. The result is uncombusted or onlyslightly combusted fuel in the exhaust stream delivered by the skippedcylinder. The uncombusted hydrocarbons can enter an oxidizing catalyticconverter, which may be part of an aftertreatment system, and reactexothermically with the air from the skipped working cycle. Otherskipped working cycles may not deliver any uncombusted hydrocarbons tothe aftertreatment system but may be used to pump air through the engineinto the aftertreatment system increasing the amount of oxygen availableto oxidize the uncombusted hydrocarbons in the aftertreatment system.The exothermic chemical reaction helps to heat the oxidizing catalyticconverter. Such an approach can be particularly useful during an enginestart-up period in which the oxidizing catalytic converter needs to berapidly heated in order to minimize the emission of pollutants.

Has previously described in U.S. Pat. No. 9,726,094, assigned to theApplicant, faster warm up of an aftertreatment system may be achieved byselective firing of particular working chambers and not others. Forexample, during an engine startup period, the engine controller may fireonly a particular subset of working chambers that are physically closerto the aftertreatment system. Since exhaust from these working chambershas a shorter path to travel, the exhaust loses less thermal energy andcan help heat the aftertreatment system more quickly and efficiently. Insome engines, to reduce cost, not all working chambers may be capable ofdeactivation. In such engines, working chambers capable of deactivationmay be positioned more closely to the aftertreatment system than workingchambers that do not have such capability. For example, the workingchamber having the shortest exhaust flow path between the workingchamber's exhaust valve and the aftertreatment system may be capable ofdeactivation.

Cold Starts

The term “cold start” as used herein is intended to be broadlyconstrued. The term is often used to describe a situation where avehicle is parked for an extended period of time and the engine cools toambient temperature. When the engine is turned on, it is considered a“cold start” because the ambient temperature will almost always be lessthan the normal warm operating temperature of the engine. While such asituation is appropriately considered a “cold start”, it is by no meansthe only situation that can be appropriately characterized as a coldstart. On the contrary, any situation where a vehicle is started andeither the engine and/or the aftertreatment system is/are below theirnormal warm operating temperature(s) is considered a cold start. Forexample, a driver may park, turn off their vehicle, and then restart thevehicle a few minutes later. During the interim, the temperature of theengine and/or the aftertreatment systems may drop below their normalwarm operating temperature, but still above ambient temperature. In sucha scenario, restarting the engine is considered a “cold start”. Inanother example, a vehicle may idle for an extended period of time withthe engine running. Since little demand is being placed on the engine,the temperature of the engine and/or the aftertreatment system may dropbelow their normal warm operating temperatures. When the vehicle beginsto move again, the situation is similar to a “cold start” because eitheror both the engine or aftertreatment system(s) are below their normalwarm operating temperature. Thus, as used herein, the term “cold start”is intended to broadly be construed to cover any situation in which theengine and/or an aftertreatment system is operated below their normalwarm operating temperature(s).

Flow Diagrams

Referring to FIG. 4A, a flow diagram 70 illustrating steps for rapidlyheating one or more aftertreatment system(s) 20 is shown. The steps, asdescribed below, are implemented by the skip fire engine controller 14operating in cooperation with the engine diagnostic module 16 and thepowertrain adjustment module 18 (see FIG. 1A). In particular, the skipfire engine controller 14 is responsible for selecting a firing fractionto meet the torque demands placed on the engine 12 as well as possiblycontrolling the temperature of the aftertreatment systems 20. The enginediagnostic module is responsible for ascertaining, among other tasks,the temperature of the engine 12, oil, coolant and/or the aftertreatmentsystem(s) 20. The powertrain adjustment module 18 is responsible formaking different powertrain adjustments as needed, such as whencylinders are fired, skipped or operated as one of the several pneumaticcylinder spring types as described herein.

In the initial step 72, the temperature of the aftertreatment system(s)is ascertained. In most situations, the temperature is estimated byusing a temperature model created using empirical data collected fromtesting performed on the same or a similar engine and vehicle asdescribed above. For instance, if the aftertreatment system 20 is acatalyst, then a temperature catalyst model can be constructed from theempirical test data. In other embodiments, the aftertreatment system(s)temperature can be ascertained by direct measurement by a temperaturesensing device.

In decision step 74, the ascertained temperature is compared to athreshold temperature. In non-exclusive embodiments, the thresholdtemperature is the lowest temperature within the normal warm operatingrange of the aftertreatment system(s) in question. For instance, if theaftertreatment system is a catalytic converter having a normal warmoperating range of around ˜200° C. to ˜600° C., then the threshold isset at or near 200° C. Thus, if the ascertained temperature is below thethreshold, the operational situation of the vehicle is considered to bea “cold start” and steps are taken to rapidly heat the aftertreatmentsystem.

In step 76, if the ascertained temperature is below the threshold, thenthe engine is operated in a skip fire manner with one or more workingcycles of the skipped cylinders operated as an LPES spring. As a generalrule, the more skipped working cycles operated as a LPES spring, themore heat energy is provided to the exhaust system, causing thedownstream aftertreatment system(s) 20 to warm up faster.

The step 72, decision step 74 and the step 76 are repeated until theascertained temperature exceeds the threshold temperature. In this way,the aftertreatment system(s) 20 is rapidly heated until the thresholdtemperature (i.e., the lower limit of the normal warm operatingtemperature) is reached.

In step 78, once the threshold temperature is reached, the engine isoperated in a skip fire manner with firing opportunities either fired orskipped in accordance with the current firing fraction. In variousembodiments, operating in the skip fire operation may mean skippedfiring opportunities may involve operating skipped cylinders as LPES,AS, or HPES, or any combination thereof. For instance, with SI gasolineengines, it may be preferable to operate skipped cylinders as LPES typepneumatic springs, whereas it may be advantageous to operate skippedcylinders as AS or HPES type pneumatic springs with compression engines.It should be further noted that skip fire operation, any two or threetypes of pneumatic springs may alternatively and/or selectively be used.For example, the engine controller 14 may implement strategies toselectively use LPES, HPES and/or AS type springs to control thetemperature of the aftertreatment system, reduce emissions and otherpollutants, and/or improve fuel efficiency.

The above steps are continually repeated during operation of thevehicle. With this approach, the use of LPES springs helps warm up theaftertreatment system when the ascertained temperature falls below thethreshold, such as following a cold start as the term is broadlyconstrued herein.

Referring to FIG. 4B, another flow diagram 90 illustrating steps forrapidly heating both an aftertreatment system and an engine block of askip fire controlled engine is shown. With this embodiment, the twoprong strategy mentioned above is implemented. That is, theaftertreatment system(s) 20 are first rapidly heated by operatingskipped working cycles of cylinders as LPES springs. Once light off isachieved, then the second prong is implemented and skipped workingcycles of cylinders are operated as HPES springs to rapidly heat theengine block. Again, these steps are largely implemented by the skipfire engine controller 14, the engine diagnostic module 16 and thepowertrain adjustment module 18 as described above.

The steps 72, 74, and 76 are essentially the same as described abovewith regard to FIG. 4A and are therefore are not repeated herein for thesake of brevity. By implementing these steps, the aftertreatmentsystem(s) 20 is/are rapidly heated following a cold start by operatingskipped working cycles of cylinders as LPES springs. Once light off isachieved, then the second prong is implemented as described in the stepsbelow.

In decision step 74, when the ascertained temperature exceeds thethreshold, then in step 92 the engine is operated in a skip fire manner,with one or more working cycles of the skipped cylinders operated as aHPES spring. The more skipped working cycles operated as a HPES spring,the more heat energy is generated. As a result, the engine block, oiland coolant of the engine 12 heats up faster.

In decision step 94, the temperature of the engine block and/or coolantis ascertained and compared to a threshold temperature indicative of thenormal warm operating temperature of the engine. So long as theascertained temperature is less than the threshold, then step 92 isperformed.

In step 96, normal skip fire operation begins when the ascertainedengine block/coolant temperature exceeds the threshold. During normalskip fire operation, cylinders are fired or skipped per the currentlydefined firing fraction. As previously discussed with regard to step 78,the engine controller may operate the skipped cylinders as LPES, AS orHPES type pneumatic springs, or any combination thereof.

The above steps are continually repeated. In this way, the cylinders ofskipped working cycles can be used as LPES springs to rapidly heatvarious aftertreatment systems 20, and once light off is achieved, thenas HPES springs to rapidly heat the engine block of the engine 12whenever appropriate, such as following any cold start as the term isbroadly construed herein.

Although only a few embodiments have been described in detail, it shouldbe appreciated that the present application may be implemented in manyother forms without departing from the spirit or scope of the disclosureprovided herein. For example, while the invention has generally beendescribed as applicable to a skip fire controlled engine, the inventionis not so limited. The invention may be applied to a variabledisplacement engine that can only deactivate a group of one or morecylinders so long as the deactivation control mechanism is configured toallow control of the pneumatic cylinder spring type on skipped workingcycles. Not all of the cylinders in the variable displacement engineneed to be capable of cylinder deactivation. Thus, not all of the intakevalves and exhaust valves need to have a deactivation mechanism, In someembodiments, only the cylinder having the shortest exhaust flow path tothe aftertreatment system may be capable of cylinder deactivation.Therefore, the present embodiments should be considered illustrative andnot restrictive and is not to be limited to the details given herein,but may be modified within the scope and equivalents of the appendedclaims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of operating an internal combustionengine of a vehicle, the method comprising: ascertaining a cold start ofthe internal combustion engine; operating the internal combustion enginein a skip fire manner during the cold start such that some workingcycles of cylinders of the internal combustion engine are fired whileother working cycles of the cylinders are skipped; and for the skippedworking cycles: (a) operating one or more of the cylinders as a LowPressure Exhaust Springs (LPES) until an aftertreatment system fluidlycoupled to the internal combustion engine has reached a light-offtemperature; and (b) operating one or more of the cylinders as a HighPressure Exhaust Springs (HPES) after the aftertreatment system hasreached the temperature.
 2. The method of claim 1, further comprisingcontinuing operation of the internal combustion engine in the skip firemanner after the temperature of the internal combustion engine hasreached a warm operating temperature.
 3. The method of claim 2, whereinoperating the internal combustion engine in the skip fire manner furthercomprises operating skipped cylinders as one of the following: (a) LPES;(b) HPES; (c) an Air Spring (AS); or (d) any combination of (a) through(c).
 4. The method of claim 1, further comprising adjusting one of thefollowing as needed when transitioning operation from the LPES to theHPES: (a) spark timing; (b) fuel injection timing; (c) fuel injectionpattern; (d) fuel injected amount; (e) cam phase; (f) Exhaust GasRecirculation (EGR) fraction; (g) throttle position; (h) boost level;(i) intake manifold absolute pressure; (j) compressor speed; (k) glowplug temperature; (l) any combination of (a) through (k).
 5. The methodof claim 1, wherein the internal combustion engine is an engine thatruns predominately at or near a stoichiometric air/fuel ratio, and theaftertreatment system includes at least one of the following: (a) athree-way catalytic converter; or (b) a Gasoline Particulate Filter(GPF).
 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the internal combustion engineruns with a lean stoichiometric air/fuel ratio and the aftertreatmentsystem includes at least one of the following: (a) a Selective CatalyticReduction (SCR) converter; (b) a Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF); (c) aNOx trap.
 7. The method of claim 1, wherein the internal combustionengine runs with a lean stoichiometric air/fuel ratio and theaftertreatment system includes a two-way catalyst.
 8. The method ofclaim 1, further comprising actively heating engine oil and/orincreasing oil pressure by use of an auxiliary pump so that cylinderdeactivation may occur sooner than if no active heating orpressurization of the engine oil occurred.
 9. An engine controller foroperating an internal combustion engine having a plurality of cylinders,the engine controller configured to: ascertain a cold start of theinternal combustion engine; operate the internal combustion engine afterthe cold start such that some firing opportunities of the plurality ofcylinders are fired while other firing opportunities of the plurality ofcylinders are skipped; and for the firing opportunities that areskipped: (a) operate one or more of the plurality of cylinders as afirst pneumatic cylinder spring until an aftertreatment system fluidlycoupled to receive exhaust gases from the internal combustion engine hasreached a threshold temperature; and (b) after the aftertreatment systemhas reached the threshold temperature, operate one or more of theplurality of cylinders as a second pneumatic cylinder spring until theinternal combustion engine reaches a warm operating temperature, whereinthe first pneumatic cylinder spring typo is different than the secondpneumatic cylinder spring.
 10. The engine controller of claim 9, whereinthe first pneumatic cylinder spring is a Low Pressure Exhaust Spring(LPES) and the second pneumatic cylinder spring is a High PressureExhaust Spring (HPES).
 11. The engine controller of claim 9, furtherconfigured to adjust one or more of the following when transitioningoperation from the first pneumatic cylinder spring to the secondpneumatic cylinder spring: (a) spark timing; (b) fuel injection timing;(c) fuel injection pattern; (d) fuel injected amount; (e) cam phase; (f)Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) fraction; (g) throttle position; (h)boost level; (i) intake manifold absolute pressure; (j) compressorspeed; (k) glow plug temperature; (l) any combination of (a) through(k).
 12. The engine controller of claim 9, wherein the internalcombustion engine is a spark-ignition gasoline engine and theaftertreatment system is a three-way catalytic converter.
 13. The enginecontroller of claim 9, wherein the internal combustion engine is aDiesel compression-ignition engine and the aftertreatment system is aDiesel Oxidizing Catalyst (DOC) or a Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR)catalytic converter.
 14. The engine controller of claim 9, wherein theinternal combustion engine runs with a lean stoichiometric air/fuelratio and the aftertreatment system includes a two-way catalyst.
 15. Theengine controller of claim 9, further comprising actively heating engineoil and/or increasing oil pressure by use of an auxiliary pump so thatcylinder deactivation may occur sooner than if no active heating orpressurization of the engine oil occurred.
 16. A method of operating aninternal combustion engine following a cold start comprising: operatingcylinders of the internal combustion engine as Low Pressure ExhaustSprings (LPES) during first skipped firing opportunities until anaftertreatment system fluidly coupled to the internal combustion enginehas reached a predetermined temperature; and operating the cylinders asHigh Pressure Exhaust Springs (HPES) during second skipped firingopportunities after the aftertreatment system has reached thepredetermined temperature.
 17. The method of claim 16, furthercomprising operating the cylinders of the internal combustion engine ina skip fire manner such that some firing opportunities of the cylindersare fired while other firing opportunities of the cylinders are skippedafter the internal combustion engine has reach a warm operatingtemperature.
 18. The method of claim 16, further comprising adjustingone or more of the following when transitioning operation from the LPESto the HPES: (a) spark timing; (b) fuel injection timing; (c) fuelinjection pattern; (d) fuel injected amount; (e) cam phase; (f) ExhaustGas Recirculation (EGR) fraction; (g) throttle position; (h) boostlevel; (i) intake manifold absolute pressure; (j) compressor speed; (k)glow plug temperature; (l) any combination of (a) through (k).
 19. Themethod of claim 16, wherein the internal combustion engine is aspark-ignition gasoline engine and the aftertreatment system is athree-way catalytic converter.
 20. The method of claim 16, wherein theinternal combustion engine is a Diesel compression-ignition engine andthe aftertreatment system is a Diesel Oxidizing Catalyst (DOC) or aSelective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) catalytic converter.
 21. The methodof claim 16, wherein the internal combustion engine runs with a leanstoichiometric air/fuel ratio and the aftertreatment system includes atwo-way catalyst.
 22. The method of claim 16, wherein the predeterminedtemperature is a light off temperature for the aftertreatment system.23. A method of operating an internal combustion engine during a coldstart such that (a) some skipped cylinder firing opportunities areoperated as a first pneumatic cylinder spring until an aftertreatmentsystem fluidly coupled to the internal combustion engine has reached afirst threshold temperature and (b) other skipped firing opportunitiesare operated as a second pneumatic cylinder spring until the internalcombustion engine has reached a second threshold temperature.
 24. Themethod of claim 23, wherein the first pneumatic cylinder spring is a LowPressure Exhaust Springs (LPES) and the first threshold temperature is alight-off temperature for the aftertreatment system.
 25. The method ofclaim 23, wherein the second pneumatic cylinder spring is a HighPressure Exhaust Springs (HPES) and the second threshold is a warmoperating temperature of the internal combustion engine.
 26. The methodof claim 23, further comprising adjusting one or more of the followingwhen transitioning operation from the first pneumatic cylinder spring tothe second pneumatic cylinder spring: (a) spark timing; (b) fuelinjection timing; (c) fuel injection pattern; (d) fuel injected amount;(e) cam phase; (f) Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) fraction; (g)throttle position; (h) boost level; (i) intake manifold absolutepressure; (j) compressor speed; (k) glow plug temperature; (l) anycombination of (a) through (k).
 27. The method of claim 23, wherein theinternal combustion engine is a spark-ignition gasoline engine and theaftertreatment system is a three-way catalytic converter.
 28. The methodof claim 23, wherein the internal combustion engine is a Dieselcompression-ignition engine and the aftertreatment system is a DieselOxidizing Catalyst (DOC) or a Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR)catalytic converter.
 29. The method of claim 23, wherein the internalcombustion engine runs with a lean stoichiometric air/fuel ratio and theaftertreatment system includes a two-way catalyst.
 30. A method ofoperating a variable displacement internal combustion engine having aplurality of working chambers that operate on a working cycle, eachworking chamber having an intake valve and an exhaust valve that ventsinto an engine exhaust, the method comprising; ascertaining atemperature of an aftertreatment system fluidly connected to theinternal combustion engine exhaust; operating the internal combustionengine at less than its full displacement so that some working cyclesare skipped; and choosing a pneumatic cylinder spring for the skippedworking cycles based at least in part on the temperature of theaftertreatment system.
 31. The method of claim 30, wherein the pneumaticcylinder spring is implemented by not opening at least one of an intakevalve or exhaust valve during the skipped working cycle.
 32. The methodof claim 30, wherein the pneumatic cylinder spring is selected from agroup consisting of a high pressure exhaust spring, a low pressureexhaust spring, or an air spring.
 33. The method of claim 30, whereinthe internal combustion engine is a skip fire controlled engine.
 34. Themethod of claim 30, wherein not all of the plurality of working chambersare capable of deactivation.
 35. The method of claim 34, wherein aworking chamber among the plurality of working chambers that is closestto the aftertreatment system is capable of cylinder deactivation. 36.The method of claim 30, wherein the temperature of the aftertreatmentsystem is determined by measurement or by using a model.
 37. The methodof claim 30, wherein the temperature of the aftertreatment system israised faster following a cold start of the internal combustion engineby operating at least some of the skipped working cycles as low pressureexhaust springs and/or air springs relative to not operating the skippedworking cycles as the low pressure exhaust springs and/or air springs.38. The method of claim 30, wherein the temperature of theaftertreatment system is raised following a cold start of the internalcombustion engine by delivering uncombusted hydrocarbons to theaftertreatment system and oxidizing the uncombusted hydrocarbons in theaftertreatment system in an exothermic chemical reaction.
 39. The methodof claim 38, wherein at least some of the skipped working cycles arepumping working cycles that pump air into the aftertreatment system toincrease the amount of oxygen available to oxidize the uncombustedhydrocarbons.
 40. The method of claim 38, wherein the uncombustedhydrocarbons are delivered to the aftertreatment system by opening theintake and exhaust valves of a cylinder during at least some of theskipped working cycles, while injecting fuel into the cylinder late in apower stroke.
 41. A method of operating a variable displacement internalcombustion engine having a plurality of working chambers in an engineblock, each working chamber having an intake valve and an exhaust valve,comprising; ascertaining a temperature of the engine block; operatingthe internal combustion engine at less than its full displacement sothat some of the working cycles are skipped; and choosing a pneumaticcylinder spring for the skipped working cycles based at least in part onthe temperature of the engine block.
 42. The method of claim 41, whereinthe pneumatic cylinder spring is realized by not opening at least one ofan intake valve or exhaust valve during the skipped working cycle. 43.The method of claim 41, wherein the pneumatic cylinder spring isselected from a group consisting of a high pressure exhaust spring, alow pressure exhaust spring, or an air spring.
 44. The method of claim41, wherein the internal combustion engine is a skip fire controlledengine.
 45. The method of claim 41, wherein not all of the plurality ofworking chambers are capable of deactivation.
 46. The method of claim41, wherein the temperature of the engine block is determined bymeasurement or by using a model.
 47. The method of claim 41, wherein thetemperature of the engine block is raised following a cold start of theinternal combustion engine by operating at least some of the skippedworking cycles with the pneumatic spring being a high pressure exhaustspring.